Waiting
for the train to the Loop, 1958. Photograph by Robert Malone
(MFA 1958).

Matriculations

The
Student BodyOn the eve of the University's
first day of classes, an anxious President Harper wondered aloud if
any students would show up. There was little cause for Harper's concern.
The idea of the University of Chicago had already promised to attract
many students. Even before a president had been named or a faculty hired,
prospective students began to request information and admissions applications.
As early as October 1890, the University distributed information pamphlets,
leading to a daily flow of correspondence from potential applicants
fully two years before opening day.

The task before the University
was thus not so much to attract students as to decide on the proper
composition of the student body. The candidate's academic preparation
was determined by evaluating high school reports and entrance examinations.
But the admissions committee encountered problems. High school grades
were not always reliable and varied considerably from one school to
another. Entrance exams were only somewhat helpful in evaluating candidates,
for many high school students, particularly those from the Midwest,
had not always had an opportunity to lake science or language courses
such as Latin and Greek which were basic examination topics. As a result,
standards for entrance exams had to be adjusted over time in response
to changing patterns of secondary education.

Another concern for the
University was the background and geographical origins of the students.
At the beginning, well over half of the students were from greater Chicago
and Illinois. Harper was pleased that students from the region were
anxious to attend the University, but he also hoped to attract students
from around the country and abroad. A diversity of backgrounds, Harper
believed, would not only enhance the character of the student body but
also confirm the University's status as a distinguished national institution.

In this effort the University
could claim early and continuing success. From the time of the University's
opening, the Registrar annually reported the enrollment of students
from Japan, China, the Philippines, Korea, India, South Africa, and
Burma, as well as Canada, the nations of Western Europe, and dozens
of other countries. The University's open admission policy also served
as a continuing attraction to American minorities, particularly Jewish
and African-American students who found their path blocked by policies
or quotas at many other institutions.